Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.
Today’s Top Pick is a 1965 Piper PA-24-260 Comanche.
By the time Piper began building the sleek, low-wing PA-24 Comanche in 1958, the landmark Beechcraft Bonanza with which it was designed to compete had been flying for more than a decade.
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Still, there was not a lot of competition for the Bonanza in the mid 1950s when high-wing, rag-and-tube aircraft dominated the ramps at most general aviation airports. The V-tail Bonanza had gained pilots’ attention—and envy—as its performance and price placed it significantly beyond other aircraft available at the time. The market was hungry for similar designs that were more accessible.
Enter the PA-24, a handsome, streamlined departure from Piper’s long-running series of Cubs, Clippers and Cruisers. Known as the Comanche, the new aircraft was a hit.
Even though it never was quite as fast or prestigious as the Bonanza, the Piper looked great, flew well, and for most pilots was a major upgrade from the aircraft they flew previously. Besides, as most pilots of high-performance, four-place piston singles know, in the real world, Bonanza pilots often set the power for the same 150 ktas cruise speed shared by Comanches, Mooney M20s, and others.
This 1965 Comanche has 3,323 hours on the airframe,108 hours since overhaul on its 260 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine, and 328 hours on the propeller since overhaul. The aircraft is equipped with a one-piece windshield. The VFR panel includes a Narco MK 12-D nav/com radio, Narco AT 150 with ADS-B Out, uAvionix SkyBeacon, and Piper Altimatic autopilot.
Pilots looking for brisk cross-country performance in a stylish, four-place piston single should consider this 1965 Piper PA-24-260, which is available for 497,500 on AircraftForSale.
If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.
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